Thread: Should I buy a "Shave Ready" Razor

hello, I wanted to buy a straight razor and I spend the last day reading stuff about it.

Now i keep reading how you only need a razor, a strop and a bit of green paste to put on it.

But I also read that usualy razor don't come shave ready and i need to hone it first.

I donb't really have the $$$ right now to buy a stone. So I was wondering if I can make it shave ready with just the strop and the green paste. Or if i have everything mixed up


thanks

Originally Posted by loloforo

hello, I wanted to buy a straight razor and I spend the last day reading stuff about it.

Now i keep reading how you only need a razor, a strop and a bit of green paste to put on it.

But I also read that usualy razor don't come shave ready and i need to hone it first.

I donb't really have the $$$ right now to buy a stone. So I was wondering if I can make it shave ready with just the strop and the green paste. Or if i have everything mixed up


thanks

I'd advice to get a shave ready razor for sure and a strop,
I wouldn't paste the strop
if your razor comes shave ready you only need to touch up your edge once in a while, but if it truly is shave ready you won't need to hone it for months
also invest in a good shaving soap
you can't make a dull razor shave ready with just a strop, just get a shave ready razor and you'll only need to do touch ups on it
but as long you get a shave ready razor and a strop you're good to go for quite some while

my two cents

look for a shave ready forum on the classifieds and then order a filly rup strop good starter strop go to vintage blades get you some good soap and a brush they also have some nice sets to get you started
Vintage Blades LLC::Straight Razor Sets::Dovo Straight Razor Sets - Carbon Steel::Dovo "Black Best Quality" Straight Razor Set

you should be able to strop a razor for a while before even needing a hone

It is a little confusing. Razors that are not stropped do not shave well, so that has to be done before every single shave.
Then the question is how sharp the razor is, that's done by honing.
At the minimum you should buy a razor that is honed to provide close and comfortable shave, because you don't have the tools and skills to make it so.
Most people would refer to those razors as 'shave-ready'.
Ideally the seller would strop the razor shortly before mailing it to you, and the edge will still be reasonably good to shave without any additional stropping the first time. I like to think that that is really what a 'shave-ready' razor should be, i.e. ready just to shave out of the box.

Hello, and welcome to SRP.

Originally Posted by loloforo

Or if i have everything mixed up.

I don't know what you've been reading, but it most certainly wasn't SRP's beginners guide (see signature), and especially Shopping list for beginners - Straight Razor Place Wiki. Have a look at them, and then decide which razor(s) you want.

Any further questions, free free to ask.

Good luck,
Robin

thanks guys for the quick reply. I guess I should buy a shave ready


Another question. I just read that in one of the thing here

It sais " a pasted strop is considered a viable alternative to hones"

But it seems like you guys tells me I can't do that. Its very confusing sorry

Hone(s)

• Do not buy them if your razor comes shave ready. Familiarise yourself with the razor, finish your first few shaves. Read up on hones first. We have conveniently put some relevant Wiki articles into one collection, which can also be downloaded as a PDF file for printing: SRP Guide to Honing. Take your time, and make sure you understand what the various hones do before you buy.
• Keep an eye out for an inexpensive finishing stone, such as a barber hone, in our Classifieds in the meantime. Unless you intend to restore razors, this will be the only stone you will ever need.
• A pasted strop is considered a viable alternative to hones, and it will most likely be less expensive.

Originally Posted by loloforo

Another question. I just read that in one of the thing here

It sais " a pasted strop is considered a viable alternative to hones"

But it seems like you guys tells me I can't do that. Its very confusing sorry

Keeping an edge good is much much easier than getting it there in the first place. Just stropping it will be fine for 30 to 300+ shaves and then it will need to be touched up with something more abrasive, like a hone or pasted strop.

Welcome to SRP. Check out the vendors, Straight Razor Designs, Vintage Blades and Classic Shaving. They all offer shave ready razors. Straight Razor Designs is offering 10% off as well as free honing for as long as you own the razor for the rest of this month and I think next month. You may as well buy a razor and strop set while you're at it.

Once you have those see how you like shaving with a straight and read the SRP Wiki tutorials as you become more advanced and need more info and then you'll be better able to decide what you do need and what you don't.